Robert Louis Stevenson came to Samoa in 1890 after sailing across the Pacific. He had been unwell in cold, rainy Scotland, and the warm Samoan climate made him feel much better. He named his home 'Vailima', which means 'five waters' in Samoan, because five small streams run through the property.
The Samoan people loved Stevenson and gave him the nickname 'Tusitala', which means 'teller of tales'. He often told stories to the local children who visited the house. He also helped improve a road in the area, and the villagers were so grateful they built a path called the 'Road of the Loving Heart' in his memory.
Today, Vailima is a museum where visitors can walk through the rooms, see original furniture and photographs, and learn about Stevenson's life. The gardens are lush and tropical, full of the kinds of plants Stevenson wrote about in his Samoan poems and letters. It is a lovely place to learn that great stories can be written anywhere in the world.